Sunrise Sommeray
by Money Stax
Summary: The four great kingdoms consists of Sommeray, Tawnport, Highpoint, and the New World, all of them with different people, different rulers, and different Pokemon. What happens when the Old World and the New World come into conflict and a war ignites between them that affects the entire world? Who will survive? OCs accepted.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

…_And when it seems that all is lost and the world has plunged into darkness and chaos, the sun will rise and the era of rebirth will begin…_

The dream that Roman Nallo had held onto since he was a boy had finally become reality. He was standing on the most famous of the Sommeray Islands as the nobles and commoners alike cheered for him. Charizard blew fire into the air and celebrated the victory alongside his partner, the new Champion Protector of Sommeray. Roman looked around and saw them all. He saw his older brother, Truman, beam with pride and Manuela, his eight-year old niece, cheering his name as she stood beside her father. He saw the king's younger brother, Prince Judah, feigning interest while his daughter, Zitah, imitated his behavior.

"_ROMAN! ROMAN! ROMAN!"_

The cheers increased in volume, but Roman had suddenly lost all focus. His victory was now at the back of his mind and his gaze was enthralled at the sight stepping descending from the large steps. The only thing that the eighteen-year old warrior cared about at that moment was Princess Savannah.

The Mercado family had ruled over Sommeray for centuries and Roman had the utmost respect for them. He remembered how Savannah's grandfather, King Ahlois Mercado, ended the Sommeray-Highpoint War twelve years earlier and how her father, King Jeremiah, had always been kind to Roman whenever his family would visit the palace in Rayborn. However, it was Savannah herself that was truly responsible for his admiration of the royal family. Roman Nallo had traveled from Highpoint to Tawnport and even to the New World and had met many kind and beautiful women, but none of them had an effect on him like Savannah Mercado did.

"Roman Nallo…" she said gracefully as she approached him.

Savannah had the olive skin and emerald green eyes of her family. Her long, dark brown hair fell down her shoulders in ringlets and a gentle smile had formed on her narrow face. She had always been tall and willowy and even now was almost the same height as Roman himself. The sixteen-year old woman was wearing the elaborate green and yellow robes of her family along with the gold jewelry with an emerald pendant attached to the necklace.

"Princess Savannah…" he greeted as he kneeled onto the hard stone of the stadium floor and presented his sword to her. She took the sword and gently held the steel to his right shoulder before opening her mouth to speak.

"On this day in 1189, you have proven yourself to be the greatest warrior in all of Sommeray. Roman Nallo, together with your Pokémon, you have achieved greatness and your name will be remembered throughout time. Do you swear to protect and honor this kingdom with your life? To uphold all laws and serve as best and as loyally as you can from this day to your last?"

"I swear…" Roman answered confidently.

Savannah nodded her head and smiled at him. "In the name of my father, King Jeremiah Mercado, in the name of Sommeray, and in the name of Arceus, I, Princess Savannah Mercado, hereby name you Champion Protector of Sommeray. As per tradition, you may request anything your heart desires and I will do my best to fulfill your request. Rise now, Champion Roman and tell me what it is that you desire."

Roman stood tall, the island breeze blowing his black hair into his hazel eyes. He had been all over the world and had never been to a place as beautiful as Sommeray during the late spring. Although it was generally warm throughout the entire year in the tropical kingdom, late spring was the time in which the sunrise and sunset were at their most exquisite and many Pokémon roamed freely. It was the time before the unbearably hot summer when everything seemed tranquil and it was a feeling one could only get by being in Sommeray.

"I have everything that I desire…almost," Roman stated. "I have a brother to cherish, Pokémon to train alongside with, and a kingdom worth fighting for. Princess Savannah, my love for you and my love for Sommeray has given me the spirit to become Champion Protector…"

"Y-you love me?" Savannah said softly, momentarily losing her composure.

"I did," Roman answered. "I do and I will always. Your father gave me his blessings before I traveled the world and honed my skills and again before I entered the tournament. I'd like to ask for them again…"

The sound of the crowd gasping in disbelief was heard throughout the stadium. It was not uncommon for a newly crowned Champion Protector to propose to a maiden after winning, but it was unheard of to do so to royalty even if the champion was from a noble family like Roman. Still, Savannah Mercado smiled and seemed to be receptive of the young man's feelings.

"My father would be honored…" the Princess of Sommeray said. She paused for a moment and gazed at Roman, her green eyes meeting his hazel ones. "As would I…"

The crowd erupted into cheers and Roman had to remind himself that he was not in a dream. Princess Savannah rejoined her uncle and cousin in the royal section of the stadium and the celebration was over. With his sword back in his hand, Roman returned to Charizard and mounted the winged lizard. While the celebration at the island was over, the festivities on the mainland would begin shortly and last for days. He assumed that it would be better to make a more impressive appearance if he arrived in the capital on Charizard's back instead of simply riding ride a ferry back.

"Charizard," he started. "My oldest friend, take flight one final time for the day. Our destination is Rayborn."

Charizard let out a mighty roar as he flapped his wings and soared into the sunset. The arrogant and impulsive youth that was once Roman Nallo had faded away that day and a champion had emerged from the ashes.

* * *

**A/N: **

**_Sommeray_ - One of the four great kingdoms of the world.**

**_Rayborn_ - The capital of Sommeray**

**Anyway, this is a story that I've been wanting to write for a while and with X and Y almost out, I figured now was a better time than ever. It might seem like a cliche fantasy story, but I'd like to see if I can put my own twist on things as the story goes on. Plus, it makes good practice for if and when I decide to actually write a fantasy novel. The prologue's pretty short, but future chapters will be longer, I promise. **

**OC's are accepted by PM or at my forum and the form is on my profile. I have all the information you need, but don't be afraid to ask me if there's something you can't understand. I hope to get a lot of forms from you guys. Thanks.**

**Until next time! **


	2. I

**I**

_**Old World – Sommeray **_

The streets of Rayborn were full with celebration and the loud music could be heard all the way from the royal palace. The festivities lasted for three full days whenever a new king was crowned and Elijah Mercado's coronation had been no exception. In Savannah's mind sixteen was much too young for a king, but there had been younger in the past and she knew that her brother would be more than capable. Elijah had trained with the champion, received his education in the New World, and had returned home as a determined young man.

"_Mother…?"_

Princess Savannah turned her attention to her son and gave the twelve-year old boy a gentle smile. Zechariah had his father's jet black hair and light tan skin, but he had her eyes; those emerald green eyes that belonged to her siblings and her father and many Mercados in the past millennia.

"Have you found your aunts?" she asked him.

"Farrah does not want to be disturbed," he explained. "And one of the guards told me that Delilah has been spotted somewhere in the streets of the city."

Savannah sighed and silently prayed for the people of Rayborn. Delilah had always been a mischievous child and although she saw it as mostly harmless behavior that the girl would grow out of, the people of Rayborn saw the young princess differently. Savannah thought of her mother and how she had been loved by all throughout the land. Queen Anala had died giving birth to Delilah thirteen years ago at the very start of the longest heat wave in the history of Sommeray. As a result, the girl was viewed as the reason for all of the misfortune that had occurred during the wave. Zechariah himself had been born on the hottest day during the two year-long heat wave and Savannah could remember being bedridden for months after his birth had nearly killed her. She wondered if her son would have faced the same scorn as Delilah did had she died. The thought made Savannah feel even sadder for her younger sister than she already did.

"Zechariah, bring Delilah to me," Savannah told her son. "I'll deal with Farrah."

"Yes, Mother," he replied before hurrying off.

Savannah looked around the mostly empty great hall. As today was the last day of Elijah's celebration, most of the nobles that lived outside of the city had already left Rayborn. She looked around for her brother, but did not spot the king inside the hall and wondered where he could be. Excusing herself, the princess stepped out of the great hall and into the main corridor. All passageways in the palace started from the main corridor and it had taken Savannah years to learn which paths led to where. Aside from a few servants and their Pokémon, most of the household was still celebrating in the streets of the city leaving the normally busy corridor mostly empty. Savannah appreciated the silence and admired the green and yellow tapestries on the palace walls as she made her way towards the end of the corridor.

"_Aaaaarc_…"

The low growls were coming from the galleries and Savannah quickly turned to a path on the right. As she started along the path, the growls became louder and soon she spotted a large Arcanine pacing outside of the center gallery chamber, guarding it carefully. The chamber to the left contained portraits of every champion who had served Sommeray since the reign of King Uriah Mercado, the latest one being of her own husband, Roman Nallo. It had been painted fifteen years earlier after he had become Champion Protector of Sommeray at the 1189 Grand Tournament. The chamber to the right contained portraits of every consort and non-inheriting royal family members. Savannah's own portrait was located in the right hall and she remembered the long hours she had spent standing perfectly still as she posed for her portrait. However, despite the exquisite galleries in the left and right chambers, it was the center one that was the most magnificent and it was the gallery reserved solely for the rulers of the kingdom.

"Arcanine…" Savannah said as she cautiously approached the large beast. "May I enter?"

Arcanine moved away from the chamber entrance just enough to let the princess squeeze through. As soon as she entered the room, the fire Pokémon returned to his position. Savannah was grateful that her brother had such a faithful guardian and prayed that her son would one day have a Pokémon as strong and as loyal as Arcanine. The princess made her way on the green-tiled floors and down the portraits of Sommeray rulers until she reached the final one.

"Your Highness…" Savannah greeted with a bow.

The young man in front of her did not respond and continued gazing at the portrait hanging high on the wall. It was a painting of their father, the previous King Jeremiah. Though it had been less than a week since he had passed, Savannah was ashamed of the fact that she had not thought of him much despite the close bond that they had shared. She had been his only child for thirteen years until Farrah had been born and was his heir until Elijah had been born. Savannah remembered when she was four years old and had spent every night crying herself to sleep while her father was away fighting in the Sommeray-Highpoint War. When he had returned victorious, she had wrapped her arms around him and never wanted to let go.

"Sav…" the young king started. "I told you that you don't have to call me that…"

Elijah turned to face his sister. His long, dark brown hair was tied behind him with a single fringe hanging down his handsome face. While the four royal siblings all had the same olive skin and dark hair, it was their eyes that differentiated. The color was the same green, but that was the extent of the similarities. Savannah's eyes were said to contain a look of dignity and wisdom in them, Farrah's were alluring and dream-like, Elijah's were fierce with determination, and Delilah's appeared to be playful and mischievous. It was their differences that made them more than just Mercados and gave them a sense of identity outside the family.

"You are the king, are you not?" Savannah questioned as she adjusted the emerald encrusted crown on her brother's head. "All of your subjects should address you as such."

"You're not my subject…" Elijah replied. "You're my sister. But since you are here, I wanted to ask you something. Do you remember that you told me that you would advise me?" Savannah nodded her head. "What happens after today when the celebrations are over?"

"The duties begin…" Savannah answered. "We have to prepare for a hot summer, deal with the bug swarms in Cado Forest, meet with the members of the court…and find a queen for you…"

Elijah arched an eyebrow. "A queen?"

"Heirs don't just fall out of the sky, brother…" Savannah told him. "The sooner you have a queen, the sooner you will have an heir. Once you have a son or daughter, your throne is officially solidified."

"I suppose that makes sense," Elijah stated. "I assume it will be a Rayborn woman or an Orangeburst woman. Mother was from Luzlos, so that's a possibility as well."

Savannah shook her head. "I was thinking of someone of a…bigger rank…But it is not a worry for this very moment. I do want you to know that I'm honored that you chose me to advise you. Are you sure that there is no one else you'd rather have?"

"You're one of the people I know that I can absolutely trust," Elijah said. "You have years of experience in magic, you've traveled the entire world, and most of all, you killed Fiacre Jallen. You should have won every crown in the great kingdoms for ridding the world of that scum."

The princess shuddered at the mention of that name and quickly tried to move the conversation in a different direction.

"Elijah…" she began. "I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are a beloved and celebrated king."

He replied with a smile and a curt nod before walking out of the gallery.

With Elijah taken care of, Savannah quickly exited the gallery chambers and returned to the main corridor. She continued along the green tiles of the floor and took a left path that led to the personal chambers of the royal family members. She let out a sigh as she heard the giggling and saw her husband's niece stepping out of Farrah's chamber. Little had remained of the eight-year old girl who had been in the crowd the day Roman had become champion. She was now twenty-three years old with the tall build, lightly tan skin, long black hair, and hazel eyes of the Nallo family.

"Hello, Manuela…" Savannah greeted.

The girl's face reddened as she snapped out of her daze and adjusted her dress. Before Manuela could open her mouth and begin spitting out her dozens of excuses as to why she was in Farrah's chambers, Savannah shook her head.

"Umm…Aunt…Princess…" she stammered. "I…"

"I'd rather not be lied to…" Savannah told her. "Actually, you helped me out. Now I know that Farrah is in there instead of in the great hall entertaining our guests."

"No, Princess…!" Manuela continued. "She wasn't trying to be a bad host. I visit often, but since I don't live at the palace, I am a guest as well and-"

"I did tell Farrah to entertain a guest…" Savannah interjected. "And from the looks of it, I suppose she did do as she was asked. Anyway, make sure you say your goodbyes to your uncle and cousin before you leave for Orangeburst."

Manuela nodded quickly and closed the door behind Savannah as she entered Farrah's chamber. She heard light snoring beneath the green and yellow sheets of her sister's bed and fought the urge to summon Starmie and command it to spray the sleeping girl with water until she awoke. Farrah was perhaps the laziest Sommeran in history and was as licentious as their ancestor, King Ahmed, who had numerous mistresses from all over the world. There was nothing that Savannah could do about Farrah's nature. She was who she was and there was no changing that fact.

"Farrah…" she whispered as she gave her a shake. "Farrah…"

"Umm…" she moaned. "Manny…"

"No, it's your sister," Savannah said. "Wake up…"

Farrah responded with a snore and Savannah found her patience waning. She grabbed the eighteen-year old by the hair and pulled her head from beneath the sheets. All three of her siblings hated to have their hair pulled and Savannah had used it as an appropriate punishment whenever they had misbehaved. She held onto Farrah's hair until the younger girl's eyes opened.

"Hello, big sister…" she slurred as she tightly held the sheets to her collar. "May I be of service?"

"Yes," Savannah answered. "Your brother's celebrations are not yet over and your sister is somewhere wreaking havoc in the streets of Rayborn. It would be nice if I had your help getting control over everything."

"You told me to handle the entertainment…" Farrah continued with a smile. "And I did as you wished."

Savannah frowned. "There are _other_ ways of entertaining our guests. Perhaps a puppet show for the children or attending the celebrations in the street would be decent choices. I'd like Elijah's reign as king to begin with a good reputation for our family. Now, get dressed."

"You don't understand, Sav," Farrah said. "Urges are hard to fight off. Of course, I wouldn't expect you to understand since you've shared your bed with Roman for the past fifteen years. Not all of us can be so lucky. Now, if you're concerned with the reputation of our family, perhaps you should do something about Delilah. The people of Rayborn already hate her and as long as she continues acting the way that she does, it is going to stay that way."

"They hated her from the moment she was born," Savannah replied. "Cursed for being the demon child who killed the queen and started the longest heat wave in the history of the kingdom. Did you forget?"

Farrah let out a sigh and straightened her back. "You keep making excuses for her, but your own son was born on the hottest day ever and no one cursed him. It's because he does not act that way that Delilah does. No matter, I'm done with this subject. Every time we talk about her, it ends the same way."

"Fairy…" Savannah sighed in an attempt to not upset her anymore.

Farrah shook her head and Savannah knew that bringing up their mother had always been a rather sore point for her. She extended her right hand and a bright light emerged from the corner of the room. In seconds, Ninetales had fully materialized and quickly made her way over to comfort Farrah.

"I missed you," Farrah told her Pokémon as the fox jumped on the bed. "Did you enjoy yourself during the celebrations?"

Ninetales nodded and Savannah decided to excuse herself before she said something to upset her sister even more. She closed the door behind her and looked around before pulling out the letter she had planned on showing Farrah. The blue and white seal confirmed that the letter had been sent from Highpoint. It had not been the first one, but Savannah had not shared any of the letters that she had received with anyone. She felt uncomfortable hiding important information, but knew it was necessary while all the celebrations were going on. Stuffing the letter back into her gown, Savannah decided that she would talk to Elijah about it later on in the week after he had some time to settle in as king.

* * *

Rayborn was the only capital city of the four great kingdoms where it was safe for a noble to roam without guards. Due to constant surveillance, it was impossible for the desert bandits to cross the small mountains that separated Rayborn from the Sommer Desert. The only other ways to get into the city were to sail into it, travel through the Cado Forest, or take the main road from Orangeburst. The streets of the city were paved with stone and the beach could often be seen from a distance.

"_Chiiimchar_!"

Zechariah shifted his gaze to a nearby palm tree and saw that Chimchar had gathered a variety of fruit and was happily having his fill. It had been two days since the boy had seen his Pokémon, but Zechariah had become used to Chimchar disappearing during celebrations.

"Chimchar!" he called out. "Come down! I need your help!"

The fire monkey gathered as much fruit as he could and made his way down the tree and onto Zechariah's shoulders. As soon as he was situated, they wandered deeper into the city, enjoying the lively music and dancing. Zechariah had almost forgotten what he had been tasked to do when he heard a small explosion and saw a puff of black smoke emerge from a nearby street.

"_Chiiimchaaar!"_ the Pokémon said with wide eyes.

"That has to be Delilah!" Zechariah yelled as the citizens began to flee from the commotion. "She is not getting me in trouble again!"

He raced towards the direction of the black smoke and rushed down the alley that he was certain the smoke came from. It was hard to see through the black fog, but Zechariah decided to keep going. He suddenly collided with something and heard a cry of pain as he and Chimchar hit the ground. As he attempted to recover, the smoke had slowly begun clearing the area and the boy was able to see what he had collided into. On the ground was a girl covered in dust with a Sandile by her side. Her dark brown hair was dirty and the smudges on her face hid her freckles. She wiped the dirt from her green eyes and immediately started laughing.

"What did you do?!" Zechariah asked his troublemaking aunt.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Delilah replied with a grin.

"No one at the palace has seen you in two days," he told her. "What have you been doing?"

"Celebrating," Delilah answered as she grabbed his hand. "Come on, the battles are still going on! Sandile and Chimchar have been training hard and I know we can win!"

Battles were held by the statue of King Uriah at the town square every day and they were only prohibited during extremely important situations. As neither of them were sixteen, Zechariah and Delilah were not permitted to enter the major battles with the adults. However, it was easy to find children around their age to battle with. There were also numerous other activities that one could partake in at the town square and Pokémon could often be seen roaming the area.

"None of these people here could defeat my father," Zechariah stated proudly as they watched a Dugtrio battling a Loudred.

"That's why the champion rarely battles," Delilah remarked. "It's not really much of a competition. Forget about them anyway. We need to find our own battle."

After searching for a while, they came across the two blacksmith sons that they had often played with. The brothers were twins and very tall for their ages with light brown hair, small brown eyes, and goofy grins on their faces. While they were not the most intelligent children in Rayborn, Roq and Stix were always ready to have fun. Zechariah was certain that they could only summon one Pokémon each and that their skills were probably better suited with actual weapons than with magic.

"You two!" Delilah called out. "Come battle us!"

Roq and Stix stumbled over to the pair and practically tripped as they tried to bow in front of Zechariah and Delilah. Both of them disliked it when people bowed at them, but Savannah had told them that was simply how people showed their respect for the royal family. Still, it made Zechariah uncomfortable as he signaled for them to rise.

"Princess!" the twins greeted to Delilah in unison before turning to Zechariah. "Milord!"

Machop and Geodude were the Pokémon that they used when they helped their father and when they battled. Zechariah and Delilah's Pokémon had beaten them every time, but they refused to give up. Chimchar and Sandile stepped in front of their trainers and prepared for battle.

"Ember!" Zechariah commanded.

"_Chaaar!_"

Chimchar opened his mouth and began shooting small bolts of fire at his opponents. Machop's foot caught aflame and he panicked as he began running around in circles. Zechariah could not help but let out a laugh and Delilah made no effort to restrain her snickers.

"Sandile, Mud Slap!" Delilah said.

"_Saaaandiiile!"_

She turned around and began kicking up clumps of mud at Geodude. The third clump hit the rock Pokémon in his eyes and he began spinning around frantically as he tried to wipe the dirt from his eyes. Machop collided into him and both Pokémon went crashing into a nearby orange stand. The merchant watched as his oranges rolled into different directions and glared at Delilah when one landed at her feet. Roq and Stix quickly grabbed their Pokémon and vanished from the town square.

"Zek," Delilah started. "We should probably go before…"

"_Before what?"_

Zechariah closed his eyes as he felt his father's hand on his shoulder. Delilah gave the Champion of Sommeray a nervous grin and both of them knew that they were about to be turned over to Savannah.

"I was informed that someone had caused a commotion earlier with black smoke…" Roman started as he looked at the two dirty children in front of him. "You two wouldn't know who might have been behind it."

"Father, let me explain," Zechariah told him. He looked at Delilah's pleading eyes and sighed. "We…were both responsible for it."

Roman arched an eyebrow before erupting in laughter. "Well done. I thought it was entertaining to say the least!"

"You're not angry?" Delilah asked curiously.

"Of course not," he answered. "I'm always appreciative of someone trying to liven up the city…but I will have to tell Savannah. Now, both of you start towards the palace."

They looked at each other once more and groaned loudly as they began making their way down the stone road.

* * *

After being fed, bathed, and dressed, Delilah had been escorted to her chamber and was waiting on Savannah to arrive. She was certain that she was about to be scolded and Sandile hiding under the bed did not help her confidence. Delilah was thankful that Zechariah had decided to share the blame for the black smoke trick and figured that she would get in much less trouble if Savannah thought that both of them were behind it.

"What is keeping her?" Delilah mumbled.

As if Arceus were reading her thoughts, the door opened and Savannah walked into the room. Delilah looked at her closely and wondered if she would grow up to resemble her. Savannah was only thirty-one years old, but somehow looked older. There was a barely noticeable gray streak in her dark brown hair and Delilah was certain that she was most likely responsible for it. However, while Farrah and Elijah were said to be the most attractive in the family, Delilah thought that Savannah was pretty in her own way. She was dressed in a simple green gown, but still managed to retain her air of gracefulness.

"I assume that you have been enjoying the celebrations?" Savannah started.

"They were weak poison Pokémon," Delilah said. "The smoke that they caused was not harmful at all."

"Lila, you are thirteen years old," Savannah continued. "In three years, you will be a woman and I won't always be around to clean up your messes. I've taught you everything that I can, but you need to learn much more if you hope to make it in this world. It has been decided that you and Zechariah will be going to the academy in the New World in a few months."

Delilah scratched her head in confusion. "Is that where they teach you to use weapons and magic?"

Savannah nodded her head. "They also teach you many other valuable things that you will need to know. Everyone in our family has been and it's now your turn. Perhaps leaving Rayborn for a while will be good for you."

"These people will be happy to see the back of me…" Delilah said as she averted her gaze to the ground. "They probably hope I never come back…"

"Everything they say about you…" Savannah replied. "Prove them wrong. Go to the New World, become an intelligent and powerful Sommeran woman, and return with everything that you have learned."

Savannah always had a way of making her feel better and Delilah realized that going to a new place with new people would be enjoying for her. She would not be alone either if she had Zechariah by her side and that thought made her eager to depart.

"If you went to the academy, it can't be bad," Delilah stated. She reached under the bed and grabbed Sandile. "It's been two days since I've slept in my bed, so if you don't mind, I'd like to rest."

"But we haven't discussed your punishment yet…" Savannah replied with a grin. Delilah frowned at her and let out a sigh.

"What is it?"

"You were gone for two days, so you'll spend two days scrubbing the floors after meals," Savannah told her. "And don't worry, you won't be alone. Zechariah will be right there beside you scrubbing the floors as well. Good night…"

* * *

**A/N: And the first official chapter is complete. Looks like we finally got a glimpse of our Sommeray royal family. Feel free to tell me which member do you like the most so far and why. OC's are still accepted by PM and by the forum and don't worry, I usually accept most of them anyway, so if you submitted one, they're probably in. PM me if you have any questions. There is also a character list on my forum since a story like this is going to have a lot of them, so check it out if you get confused.**

**Important Information:**

**P.O.V Characters: Savannah Mercado, Zechariah Nallo, Delilah Mercado**

**Major non-P.O.V characters: Elijah Mercado, Farrah Mercado, Roman Nallo, Manuela Nallo**

**Historical characters: Uriah Mercado, Jeremiah Mercado, Anala Mercado, Ahmed Mercado, Fiacre Jallen **

**Once again, I'd like to thank everyone for reading, reviewing, and sending in OC's. You guys are the best!**

**Until next time! **


	3. II

**II**

_**The New World **_

The New World Empire was by far the greatest and most powerful of the four kingdoms. It was larger than Sommeray, Tawnport, and Highpoint combined and contained a variety of different landscapes, weather patterns, people, and Pokémon. The New World was also far more advanced in several areas of life, specifically in education and warfare and the Iverys made sure to make that fact widely known. They ruled the vast empire from a hill overlooking the largest city in the world, New Life City.

"_What year was the New World founded?"_

The old priestess was sitting in front of the fire as the black-haired prince finished setting up camp. They had been in the wilderness for over a month and would finally arrive in New Life City by midday tomorrow. The rest of their party had gone on ahead to alert the rest of the royal family about the prince's arrival.

"Sister Yelisabeta…" Prince Cillian started coolly as he fed Gogoat the last supply of berries. "Excuse my rudeness, but it is late and we both need to be well rested for our arrival in New Life tomorrow. I don't think trivia is appropriate at this hour."

"Knowing the history of the empire that you will one day rule is appropriate at any hour," the old woman stated calmly. "You've learned so much in the eighteen years that you have been in this world, Prince Cillian, but you still have much more that you need to know before you assume the throne."

Cillian let out a sigh as he approached the fire. Yelisabeta sat across from him, her eyes as colorless as her hair and her face as unmoving as ever. The priestess had been an advisor to Cillian since he was a young child and even then, she would test him at inopportune moments. However, he knew to respect his elder and was well aware that arguing with her would be a pointless matter.

"The New World Empire was established in the year 0," Cillian started. "However, my ancestor, Dallan Ivery, first stepped onto New World soil fifty years earlier."

"Excellent," Yelisabeta told him. "Your brother can never answer that question correctly, but your sister would have gotten it right _and_ told me the first Pokémon that Dallan Ivery saw upon his landing."

"Well…" Cillian said. "Since we are on the topic of Brennan and Rhiannan, I feel I should let you know that my brother and sister will never get to see me if I spend the rest of my life answering questions about ancient history. Now, may I please rest?"

Yelisabeta nodded and Cillian retreated into his tent. He could hear the sound of Gogoat making himself comfortable outside as he began praying. His father had sent him to the World Prison in the harsh and cold Nannan Mountains to quell the unrest and reprimand the unruly and highly dangerous criminals. Cillian was thankful to be entrusted with such an important task and was especially grateful for a mostly safe trip home. He prayed for himself, for Sister Yelisabeta, and for his sister, mother, and father. He even prayed for his brother, though there was no love lost between the two of them and most importantly, he prayed for the New World.

The morning sun shining through the tent and the sound of Gogoat rustling against it woke Cillian from his slumber. The prince emerged from the tent to see that Yelisabeta had already prepared breakfast. She was always the last person to go to sleep and the first one to wake up, but out of all her unsettling traits, this one did not bother Cillian much. He thanked the priestess for the delicious stew and said a quick prayer before eating.

"Your mother will be happy to see you…" Yelisabeta stated. "As will your father and your sister and the rest of New Life City…"

"My brother won't…" Cillian said as he swallowed a spoonful of the stew. "But I'm not worried about him. There are more pressing matters that I need to share with my father and with Greyhart, provided the Champion of the New World is even in the city."

"Zenith?" she asked.

Cillian nodded his head. "The organization is nothing too serious to worry about at the moment and the mercenaries there aren't causing us much trouble, but I fear that they could potentially become a problem if we aren't careful to establish boundaries. I need Greyhart to go to Zenith and talk to their leader so that I can make sure that the relationship between the crown and the organization is a healthy one. They are extremely useful after all."

"You are in constant thought…" Yelisabeta said. "The mind needs its rest as the body does. Perhaps you should stop and entertain yourself with the arts or something else for a few weeks?"

"I am not a Sommeran…" Cillian said in a low voice as he sat his bowl down. "I don't have time for any of that foolishness. Now, we have wasted enough time. Come, we are leaving…"

The rest of the journey to New Life City was spent in silence. As they got closer and closer to the city, Cillian remembered his father's teachings. He and his siblings were taught to pride themselves in being New Worlders. The New World was cultured and sophisticated and it was their duty to enlighten the kingdoms of the Old World and turn them away from their primitive ways. While he was a pupil at the academy, Cillian encountered many students from the Old World and he was surprised how insightful some of them turned out to be. However, most of them acted as expected. Sommerans were temperamental, Tawnens were stubborn, and Highlanders were manipulative.

"The gates are opening…" Yelisabeta said, interrupting Cillian's thoughts.

Cillian looked ahead to see the iron gates of New Life City being pushed apart by a pair of Conkeldurr. They had made sure to take the northeastern entrance into the city as it was the one that was used the least and made slipping into the city relatively unnoticed possible. Of course, there were people who knew of Cillian's return as he had sent the others ahead of him, but those were mainly his family members and a few other important people. It would be best to avoid the streets of New Life as the commoners tended to surround him whenever he was spotted and it was almost impossible to get where he needed to go without having to call on the guards or summon his other Pokémon.

"I don't think I will ever tire of entering this city…" Cillian thought aloud.

No matter which entrance a person decided to take in order to get into of New Life City, the view was spectacular. The first sight would always be the enormous ivory palace overlooking the city from Golem Hill. From the ground, it seemed as if it were high enough to reach the clouds. Below the entrance to the palace were long stone stairs that led down Golem Hill and to the three towers on the street. The towers were used for an assortment of different tasks and anyone who did not have special permission from the royal family or from Champion Rickon Greyhart was not permitted to enter the towers.

"Is the palace our destination?" Yelisabeta asked.

"I should to see my mother first," Cillian answered as he dismounted his Pokémon. "And she is likely not at the palace at this moment. Gogoat will escort you there while I go to the House of Worship. When you get to the palace, I want you to find the champion and let him know that I would like to have a word with him."

"As you wish," the priestess replied with a nod before ordering Gogoat to head in the direction of the towers.

Cillian aimed his right hand at the ground and after a few seconds of concentration, the bright light that emerged from his fingertips took form. Xatu materialized and stretched her wings as she waited for an order.

"Teleport to the House of Worship," Cillian commanded.

"_Xa…tu…"_

The prince grabbed onto a wing as a bluish aura surrounded the Pokémon. Mere moments later, the two of them were in front of the church. New Life was so large that one had to actually _be_ in the city if they wanted to teleport to anywhere else in the area. The church itself was fairly standard as most of the past emperors focused more on improving warfare than religious matters. The guards blocking the entrance were proof enough that the Empress of the New World was inside.

"Prince Cillian," one of them greeted. "Welcome home."

"Thank you," Cillian said. "New Life City is what a man needs after spending a month dealing with most dangerous and unruly criminals in the world. I need to speak with my mother. I'm sure she won't mind if I interrupt."

"Of course not!" the second guard said quickly as he and his partner moved out of the way.

Cillian left Xatu with the guards and slowly made his way inside the church and to the altar where he saw a hooded figure dressed in fine purple and silver silk kneeling. Aside from the two of them, the church was completely empty and was mostly pitch black save for a few dim candles.

"Mother…" he whispered as he approached the hooded person. "Mother, it's your son."

"Brennan?" the woman asked without turning around.

"No, it's the smart one…" Cillian said.

Empress Estella removed her hood from her head allowing her light blond curls to fall past her neck and the small diamond crown on her head to become visible. She stood up before turning around to face her youngest child. Cillian could see the dark circles under his mother's light gray eyes and she seemed to be even paler than usual.

"Cillian!" she said with a smile. "I prayed to Arceus every day for your safe return!" She gave him a hug and fixed his hair. "You need a bath and a change of clothes. You must be presentable when you see your father."

"Understood," Cillian replied. "I can tell that you haven't eaten or slept in days. Mother, you have to come back to the palace with me. It's unfair to keep the house of worship to yourself. There are others in need of prayer."

The empress stared at her son for a moment and he was well aware that she would not leave if she did not want to. She reluctantly complied and the two made their way out of the church. Xatu would teleport Estella to the palace, but Cillian preferred to walk there himself. Reuniting with his mother had been simple, but it would not be as easy with the rest of the family.

* * *

Princess Rhiannan aimed her bow at the great tree and shot the arrow with ease. For the tenth time in a row, it hit the inside of the black circle painted on the center of the tree stem. The Princess of the New World smirked at her near perfect aim. She was widely considered to be one of the best archers in the New World and it was one of the few things that could bring her joy.

"Liepard…" Rhiannan called out.

The purple feline jumped off of the steps and walked towards the tree. Using her teeth, she removed the arrows and placed them at her princess's feet. Rhiannan had made sure that the training yard was empty as she did not want to be bothered while she was practicing her archery.

"_Cillian! Cillian! Cillian! All hail the mighty Cillian!" _

A tall man with long, unkempt black hair came stumbling into the training yard with a half-empty mug in his hand. He was pale with a gaunt face and had light gray eyes along with a scruffy beard. Liepard hissed at the man as he grabbed Rhiannan by her white-blonde hair and dropped the mug. Reaching for his belt, he retrieved a dagger and held it to the small woman's throat.

"I see you've been drinking again, big brother…" Rhiannan remarked without fear or hesitation.

The prince released his sister with a shove and was immediately met with Rhiannan's bow smashing into his face. He let out a shriek of pain and held his face in his hands.

"You stupid woman!" he shouted.

"You're pathetic, Brennan," she told him as she rolled her bright blue eyes. "You know, if you spent more time here in the training yard instead of at brothels, you might stand a chance against me."

"I'm a master of arms…" Brennan scoffed. "I don't need more training. I'm the best in the family! That's why I should be next in line for the throne! I'm older than Cillian, more experienced, stronger, and better looking."

"Well, you are older…" Rhiannan stated. "That's the only truth in that statement."

Brennan ignored his sister and reached for his mug. He frowned when he realized that all of the wine had spilled when he sat it down. Seeing Brennan angered, embarrassed, or frustrated was another one of those things that Rhiannan often enjoyed. She could never understand why he was so angered at being passed over for the throne by their father. In the New World, age and gender did not come into play where the throne was concerned. If the emperor or empress had more than one child, they were allowed to choose which one of their children would succeed them. It had been that way since the New World had been founded.

"I can see why you wouldn't care about getting the throne for yourself," Brennan suddenly said in his drunken stupor. "You must know that women generally make poor rulers. Look at Highpoint if you want an example."

"I am certain that every woman in Highpoint from the lowest peasant to Queen Tatiana herself could probably best you in combat," Rhiannan replied with a smirk. "Her youngest daughter is a girl of thirteen and she would probably disarm you within seconds."

Before Brennan could retaliate, the two siblings were joined by another. The young man was tall like Brennan with the same pale skin and long, black hair. However, he was clean-shaven and his hair was much neater. His eyes were a bluish-gray instead of the light gray ones that his older brother had. The expression on Brennan's face changed from mild annoyance to pure hatred as Cillian stepped into the training yard.

"Sister…" he greeted as Rhiannan ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him. He glanced over at Brennan. "Brother…"

"Ugh…" Brennan growled.

"You've been away for a while, baby brother," Rhiannan told him. "There is a lot that you need to catch up on, especially the news from the Old World."

Cillian arched an eyebrow. "News?"

"King Jeremiah Mercado of Sommeray is finally dead…" Rhiannan stated.

"That means…" Cillian started.

Rhiannan nodded her head. "Elijah rules all of Sommeray now."

"Five years before he gets himself killed…" Cillian remarked. "If he did not have Savannah, it would be three."

"Even so," Rhiannan continued. "There has been talk that Savannah is planning a sort of alliance with Tawnport or Highpoint and Father wants us to keep an eye on the Old World. It would be a problem if they became too powerful."

Brennan laughed. "Father is worrying about nothing. Those uncultured savages don't stand a chance against us even with a three-way alliance. The New World is superior to the Old World in all walks of life. If anything, we should just sail for Sommeray's shores, kill all of their Pokémon, and burn the entire kingdom to the ground. Show them the true meaning of hot-blooded and take all of their emeralds. Although, I wouldn't mind having a little taste of Farrah Mercado…"

"You should be careful what you say about the Mercados, Brennan," Rhiannan said. "Rickon Greyhart and Roman Nallo are close enough to be brothers."

"Since we are on the topic…" Cillian began. "Where is Greyhart? I sent Yelisabeta to find him, but the champion is nowhere to be seen."

"Father sent him to handle the skirmishes in Cubone Canyon," Rhiannan answered. "This empire is just too vast for one champion."

"That isn't it," Brennan said. "Greyhart just isn't up to the job. It's not surprising…given his background."

"Isn't it amazing that you seem to have the most to say about Greyhart when he _isn't_ around?" Rhiannan shot back. "Why don't you ever have the courage to say how you really feel when he is here?"

Brennan frowned at her and folded his arms. "Why do you always feel the need to defend him, Rhiannan?"

"I-"

"Brennan is correct about one thing," Cillian interrupted. "We don't need to be focusing on external conflicts for the time being. We need make sure everything in the New World is fine before we launch ourselves into an unnecessary war with the Old World."

"Tell that to Father…" Rhiannan replied.

Cillian took a deep breath and nodded his head. "I will…"

* * *

**A/N: And the second official chapter is complete. This time we got a glimpse of our New World Royal family. Aren't these three siblings pieces of work? As a flipside to last chapter's question, which of the three Ivery siblings do you dislike the most? **

**I think I'll accept some more OCs for the time being and see if my feelings change later on and I usually accept most OCs anyway, so if you submitted one yours will likely appear at some point. There's a character list on my forum as we have a lot of characters, so it's a bit easy to get confused. The way I decided to do the chapters should make everything flow more smoothly though.**

**Important Information:**

**P.O.V. characters: Cillian Ivery, Rhiannan Ivery **

**Major non-P.O.V. characters: Yelisabeta, Estella Ivery, Brennan Ivery**

**Historical characters: Dallan Ivery **

**_New World_ - One of the four great kingdoms of the world.**

_**New Life City**_** - The capital of the New World and the largest city on the planet.**

**So, once again OCs are still accepted for the time being on my forum or by PM. Come to the forum to get more information on this story and some of my others or if you just want to hang out, that's fine as well. Thanks for checking out this chapter. Next chapter we will be back in Sommeray!**

**Until next time! **


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